The Longest Day
by PhoenyxRising
Summary: A great war between Cyclonia and the Sky knights has broken out, and Aerrow knew it was only a matter of time before he was called up to fight on the front line. But will Aerrow be able to keep his promise of returning to Piper on the Longest day? AxP


Stork landed and parked the Condor just outside of a forest, exactly where Aerrow had asked him to. Aerrow asked the Storm Hawks, aside from himself and Piper, to stay on board the ship; there was something he had to tell her.

Aerrow led Piper to a small glade, with a small pond full of crystal-clear water and small fish swimming about happily inside it, as rays of golden sunlight beamed and reflected on it's rippling surface. Trees seemed to surround the glade like a protective circle, and separating it from the terrible world outside.

Piper and Aerrow sat down by the lake, and took off their shoes and socks and dangled their feet in the cool water. Piper laid her head on Aerrow's shoulder.

"Wow, it's so beautiful here Aerrow."

"I know."

"Why have you brought me here?"

"Because there's something I need to tell you."

Piper looked up into Aerrow's eyes, and he looked back into hers. Piper's were full of hope, Aerrow's, full of sadness.

"What is it Aerrow?" Piper was concerned, she could see Aerrow was depressed.

"You know, how the war started, between Cyclonis and the sky knights?"

"Yes?"

"Well…it was only a matter of time before…before…"

"Before what?"

"Before I would be called up to fight on the front line."

"No! No you can't go!" Piper moved closer to Aerrow and began to cry on his shoulder and hold him tight. "I won't let you go!"

"Piper I have to." And Aerrow held both of Piper's hands and squeezed them tight. "But I promise you this; that I will only spend 24 days fighting, and I will return to you on the longest day."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Piper?"

"Yes?"

"There was something else I had to tell you."

"Go on, tell me."

"Piper I-"

And just as Aerrow was going to finish his sentence, Finn burst through the glade and said.

"Hurry up dudes! We gotta get going! Stork's getting mad…and paranoid. He thinks that some…THING…is going to get him…"

Aerrow quickly let go of Piper's hands. "We're coming Finn. Just give us a minute."

"Whatever…" He said, and pushed his way back through the trees.

"What were you going to say Aerrow?"

"It doesn't matter…"

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24 days had passed. Each one of those long days Piper had spent most of gazing through the window of her room, or the Condor's huge windscreen. She missed Aerrow terribly, after he had gone away to fight, and was expecting him back today; Today was the longest day, the day he promised to return.

Piper sat at the window from sunrise to sunset, and long after, until sunrise the next day.

He did not show.

"Where was he?" She thought, longingly. She so wished he's come back soon.

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24 weeks passed over so slowly. The green leaves of the trees warmed by the sun's rays had withered and fallen to the ground and wept for the loss of the spring. They fell to the ground, only to be crushed and broken accidentally but without a second thought. To Piper, Aerrow was her sun, she was the leaves; without him, she could not survive.

No word of Aerrow.

"Where are you Aerrow? Come home to us. Come back to me…"

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24 months passed. Still no word. Piper began to wonder whether Aerrow was alive or not. No one knew. Every single one of the Storm Hawks missed Aerrow.

Especially Piper.

She began to cry each day. No one could seem to make her happy. All she wanted was Aerrow. He had to be alive! He just had to!

But he promised he would come back on the longest day…

…The longest day over 2 years ago.

How could he leave her like this after he promised he would return?

How could he leave her behind…after all these years…

She didn't know whether she even wanted him to come back after this. The liar! She cursed Aerrow! Cursed him for breaking his promise! Cursed him for letting her think she wouldn't have to wait long to see the person she loved most in the entire Atmos. But cursed herself for not telling him so.

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Aerrow felt terrible. Letting himself get captured by the person he loathed most in the entire Atmos, for the person he loved most.

Dark Ace had told him if he did not surrender, Piper would die. How did Dark Ace know the way he felt for Piper? Was it really that obvious he was in love with her? He didn't even tell her. He felt so terrible. She probably hated him now, after not returning and having no contact with her. He sighed as he was locked away in thee cold, dark dungeons of Cyclonia. He longed to see Piper more than he longed to see daylight once more.

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Years passed. Piper had never felt so lonely. Every day seemed harder and harder, longer and longer. Why had there been no news of Aerrow…

Until today?

She received a message that morning, the morning of the Longest Day.

"Aerrow, sky knight of the Storm Hawks, has recently been murdered by both Dark Ace and Master Cyclonis, of after over 10 years in captivity. Apparently, he gave himself up willingly for another; another member of his squadron, Piper the Navigator and tactics specialist, as Dark Ace threatened to kill her instead. His last words rang out throughout Cyclonia, in hope that perhaps someone would hear and pass this message on.

'I love you Piper…'"

Piper cried. She felt so guilty about all those things she thought while Aerrow was missing. All that time he had suffered for her. For her safety. So she wasn't killed. But at least knowing that he really did love her is one thing of comfort, although she never told him of how she felt about him.

That night, while Piper was awake at night in her bed, trying to sleep, but unable to as she was thinking so much of Aerrow, she saw the most magical thing.

A translucent figure stood above her, surrounded by shimmering stars and a glowing, golden haze.

"Aerrow?"

The figure nodded and smiled.

"Did you get the message?" He said. It was Aerrow alright.

"Yes! Oh yes I did. Aerrow I'm so sorry for thinking so badly of you! I feel so terribl-"

Aerrow put a golden finger to Piper's lips and said "Ssh. It doesn't matter. All that matter now, is that I love you. And know, that wherever you are, I'll always be a part of you.""Oh Aerrow…" Piper began to cry. "Aerrow there's something I have to tell you…"

"There is?"

"Yes. Aerrow, I love you, I always have and I always will."

"Really?" Aerrow's eyes became wide and sparkling.

"Really really." Piper smiled. She reached out her hand to touch Aerrow's, but it passed straight through him. It was like trying to grab smoke. Aerrow looked depressed.

"Piper, I love you, with all my heart, but you know I can't stay with you, however much I wish I could."

"But Aerrow, why?! You left me once, don't leave me again!" Piper pleaded and cried.

"I know, I know, but I'll always be with you, in your heart; those you love, never leave you no matter what."

Piper cried and tried to hold Aerrow, failing but not seeming to care.

"I'll be with you whenever you need me, there whenever you need a hand. I promise, and this time, I mean it."

Piper wiped away her tears and nodded; she understood.

"I love you Piper."

"I love you too Aerrow."

And as soon as Piper had said that, Aerrow began to glow so bright that Piper had to look away. Shimmering stars appeared all around him and were dotted around the room randomly. Then, the room seemed to glow as bright as a thousand suns, and then, the light died, and Piper turned back.

Aerrow had gone…and Piper wept…


End file.
